The Alamo Plaza redesign will no longer feature a big glass wall

After numerous objections from the San Antonio community, the Alamo Plaza won't have a glass wall as part of the redesign.

Author:
Ivan Gibson, Sarah Lucero

Published:
11:35 PM CDT August 18, 2017

Updated:
11:35 PM CDT August 18, 2017

It appears the controversial glass wall proposed as part of the Alamo Plaza redesign plan has been shelved.

"I just think it's a terrible idea," said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff about the proposed wall around Alamo.

Wolff met with Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush a week ago to express his views.

"Then the report came out today they had tabled that proposal for the time being. I hope it stays tabled,” Wolff said. “I hope it stays under the table."

In a letter to the Land Commissioner, Judge Wolff says that the glass wall is a barrier between the community and the Alamo. He says it also creates a potential safety hazard in an emergency situation.

Wolff says that the wall would be inappropriate and historically inaccurate.

"It's not even where the wall was before. If you really wanted it to be true to historical facts, it certainly didn't have Plexiglas," Wolff noted.

Councilman Roberto Trevino, a member of the committee overseeing the redevelopment of Alamo Plaza, says he's heard the public outcry.

"We hear that people want that openness and flow through the area,” Councilman Trevino said. “We hear you loud and clear."

Trevino added that the wall was never set in stone, and as they move forward into the design phase, they'll do so with community input in mind.

"We'll do our best to make sure we are communicating as much of this process with the community,” Councilman Trevino said. “[We’ll] show them how this is coming along and ask the designers to make sure they understand how the community feels."

Councilman Trevino also says that this fall they will enter into the design phase and look for teams of architects and designers that will keep public input in mind.